Topic: Soybeans

The concept of "Decision Deficit Syndrome" is introduced to describe how government safety nets and $12 billion bailouts insulate farmers from the consequences of poor market decisions. While the U.S. is currently oversupplied with soybeans, the national cattle herd is at its lowest level since 1950. Economic analysis suggests that converting a thousand-acre soybean farm to perennial pasture for cows is financially viable but discouraged by existing federal subsidy structures.

McKay Jenkins describes his transition from researching toxic chemicals in consumer goods to investigating the complex world of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). He recounts interviewing pro-GMO scientists who defend the technology as a tool for crop resistance while acknowledging that in the United States, it is primarily used to support industrial-scale production of corn and soy. The discussion distinguishes between the inherent potential of the technology and its current application in creating cheap, processed food.